Members of GW’s Jewish community said they are concerned for their safety in light of an investigation into vandalism in International House, where three swastikas were drawn on walls.
As the community grapples with the report of the symbol drawn in the residence hall’s lobby, some student leaders say GW is not doing enough to address the case. Many are calling for campus police officers to receive more training to help them better handle cases of intolerance. The University is not investigating the incident as a hate crime.
Rachel Schwartzman, a resident in the hall, said the University was “not treating the students as adults” or responding to their concerns quickly. Schwartzman, who is a member of the historically Jewish sorority Alpha Epsilon Phi, which has members housed on a floor in the building, said officials did not formally acknowledge the vandalism until a meeting with residents on Wednesday – four days after the initial report.
Originally printed in the GW Hatchet